The Orchestra Personnel Management Intensive will introduce participants to the real-life opportunities and challenges that orchestra personnel managers face today and highlight the creative, adaptive, and community-oriented skills that they need to nurture and support their creative workforce and build artistic capacity. The course includes individual reflection and sharing with peer groups as well as open discussion and practical scenario exercises.

This program is geared to people new to and/or interested in advancing in a career in orchestra personnel management, especially orchestra personnel managers of smaller-budget orchestras and orchestra personnel staff of larger-budget orchestras, as well as to those more broadly interested in pursuing an orchestra administrative career that includes personnel management. Content will be customized based on the level of experience in the class.

Participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate basic knowledge of personnel management practices in orchestras
• Build strong relationships with and among musicians and staff teams
• Increase their understanding and awareness of critical issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the orchestra field
• Cultivate a network of peers, mentors, and resources for continued professional development

Covering key functions of personnel management at orchestras, including:

• Fundamental systems, processes and tools for musician rosters, hiring, payroll, rehearsal, and concert management
• Understanding relationships between musicians including orchestra leadership, conductors/music director, staff administration, and unions
• Conflict resolution and tools to have difficult conversations
• Building a diverse and inclusive culture and the legal foundations for doing so

This Intensive will be led by:

• Shana Bey, Director of Orchestra Management, Los Angeles Philharmonic
• Beth Paine, Director of Orchestra Personnel, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

with additional guest faculty, including:

• Rochelle Skolnick, Director of Symphonic Services and Special Counsel, American Federation of Musicians
• Kyle Wynk-Sivashankar, SHRM-CP, PHR, Chief People Officer, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
• Timothy Zavadil, Clarinetist, Minnesota Orchestra

Shana Bey (she/her)
Director, Orchestra Management, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association

Shana Bey, a native of Houston, TX, is the Director, Orchestra Management with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. Having played the violin since the age of 6, Bey has a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from Loyola University New Orleans and a Masters in Violin Performance from The University of Texas at Austin. Bey was a Second Violinist with the Austin Symphony for 10 years before moving into Orchestra Administration. Prior to joining the LA Phil, Bey served as the Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager for the Houston Symphony for 4 years. She moved to Los Angeles as the Associate Director of Orchestra Personnel in 2018. In 2022, Bey was promoted to Director, Orchestra Management and now oversees both the LA Phil and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. 

Beth Paine (she/her)
Director of Orchestra Personnel, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Beth Paine is the Director of Orchestra Personnel for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, a position she has held since 2018. With over two decades of experience in orchestra administration, she previously served as Director of Orchestra Personnel for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (2007–2017) and as Orchestra Personnel Manager for the Virginia Symphony (2005–2007). Her background also includes working with the Tanglewood Music Center of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and is an alumna of the League of American Orchestras’ Essentials of Orchestra Management program.

Beth holds deep roots in music as a bassoon performer. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree magna cum laude from Boston University, a Master of Music degree and Performer’s Certificate from the Indiana University School of Music, Bloomington, and a Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory. She was a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and performed internationally at the Spoleto USA Festival and the Festival dei due Mondi in Italy.

Outside of her work, she enjoys cooking and baking, particularly crafting homemade pizza.

The 2026 Orchestra Personnel Management Intensivecohort is comprised entirely of professionals working in personnel management for U.S. orchestras, seeking to strengthen or advance their careers.  Participants include:

• Kayla Aftahi Pavel, Orchestra Personnel Manager, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
• David Allen, Personnel Manager and Principal Clarinet, Western Piedmont Symphony
• Kristin Baird, Director of Orchestra, New World Symphony
• Taylor Crawford, Orchestra Personnel Manager, Las Vegas Philharmonic
• Matthew Creek, Manager of Popular Programming, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
• Daniel Dardon, Manager of Visiting Faculty & Entrepreneurship, New World Symphony
• Jordan DeWester, Personnel and Operations Manager, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
• Erin Eady, Director of Orchestra Personnel, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
• Natalie Fernandez, Personnel Manager and Education Director, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas
• Heidi Herbert-Lovern, President, Anchorage Symphony Orchestra Players’ Association
• Christopher Herman, Personnel Manager, Tucson Symphony Orchestra
• Sabrina Romney Lloyd, Personnel Manager, Wyoming Symphony Orchestra
• Angelo Monroy, Personnel Manager, Reno Chamber Orchestra
• Adam Norton, Orchestra Personnel Manager, San Diego Symphony
• Maria-Camila Patiño, Personnel Manager and Strings Teacher, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
• Estefan Perez, Orchestra Personnel Manager and Education Coordinator, Memphis Symphony Orchestra
• Eric Reichelt, Artistic Operations Manager, Peoria Symphony Orchestra
• Nicholas Taylor, Manager of Orchestra Personnel, Colorado Symphony Association
• Sonja Thoms, Director of Operations, Chattanooga Symphony & Opera
• Jeff Whitsett, Orchestra Personnel Manager and Librarian, Winston-Salem Symphony